Closure for tumblers, jars, bottles, and other receptacles



A. AND H. INGRAM.

GLUSURE FOR TUMBLERS, JAS, BOTTLES, AND OTHER RECEPTACLES. APPLICATION FILED Aue. lo. 1916. RENEwED JAN. 27. 1920.

l1,353,; ,93, PatentedsepnzL 1920.

MA1/YIM@ la A, Ma la UNIT-ED STA TES PAriazN'rI OFFICE.

ALFRED INGRAM AND HARRY INGRAM, or BROOKLYN, NEW/YORK, AssIGNoBs Te -h INGRAMS INCORPORATED, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION F NEW.

YORK.

CLOSURE FOR TUMBLERS, JARS, BOTTLES, AND-LOTHER RECEPTAOEES. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Application led .august 10, 1916, Serial No..114,091. Renewed January 27, 1920. Serial No. 354,514.

To all whom it may concern.'

'Be it known that we, ALFRED INGRAM and HARRY INGRAM, citizens of the United States, and residents of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings 'and State of New York, have invented'certain new and useful I1n provements -in or Relating to Closures for Tumblers, Jars, Bottles, and other Receptacles, of which the following is a specification. v

The invention pertains more Iparticularly to the art of hermetically sealing tumblers, jars, bottles and other receptacles by means of applied caps and gaskets held in sealing position by atmospheric pressure or by what is commonly known as the vacuum sealing process.

The invention involves a novel construction and combination of cap and gasket with the receptacle, and also a cap of a flexible material, exemplified by pyroxylin, as

sheet celluloid, the use of which involvesI new methods of sealing and the attainment of new and highly beneficial results.

The diiculties incident to the effectual sealing by atmospheric pressure of tu1nblers, jars and the like are too wellnnderstood to require speciic mention;

The pur ose of our invention is to remedy the objections existing to the closures as heretofore constructed and to provide a closure whose seal may be easily maintained by ordinary atmospheric pressure. A further purpose of the invention is to] provide a closure whose gasket is exterior to the upper rim portion of the receptacle andnot exposed to contact with the contents of the receptacle. Our invention also provides a cap which will not contaminate the contents of the vessel and will be capable of resisting saline products and also the acids commonly found in food products, such as in tomatoes, pickles, vinegar and the like, so that the cap itself shall not be detrimental to theI contents of the receptacle, but in every way cleanly, non-corrosive and wholesome.

The cap of oui` invention is also one which may with its inclosed gasket be so deformed preferably, y but not necessarily,l by atmospheric pressure alone as to constitute an eiiicient seal, and conform to any irregularities, wave lines and the like .which ma exist along the rim of the receptacle, t e cap itself by its engagement with said rim preferably affording-a sealing zone and lexcludlng the contents of the receptacle from contact with the gasket. TheV cap may be readily removed from the receptacle, since 1n its preferable form it is of thin light ma- Patentea sept. ai, 1920..'

ably make the cap of odorless pyroxylin l material known as celluloid,. and, by

preference, the sheets of this material from whlch we produce the caps are from about 4live to twenty-five one-thousandths of an inch in thickness, according to the diameter of the cap, and are transparent, so that the top of the contents of the receptacle may be inspected without breaking the seal. The preferred form of cap is one represented by a flat disk having a depending skirt portion whose lower part' is set inwardly so as topass in reasonably close relation to the side of the receptacle when the cap is placed thereon. We prefer to make the upper portion of the cap of greater diameter than the mouth 0f the receptacle so as to form a recess or groove to hold the gasket, which gasketpreferably sets laterally outwardly from the top of the rim of the receptacle and perthe bottom surface of the cap to direetly engage the top of said rim. When the cap thus constructed is pressed with reasonable firmness upon the receptacle, then,

after the exhausting operation has been performed, or the heated contents ofthe recep tacle have cooled, atmospheric pressure, assisted by mechanical means, if desired, ,will

dish the top of the cap downwardly "and,

thus cause the edge portions of the capl to be pulled inwardly whereby the skirt portion of the cap squeezes the gasket against the sides of the receptacle adjacent to the rim thereof. The air pressure also maintains the material ofthe top of the cap closely against the rim of the receptacle, and the sealing becomes not only highly efficient but permanent.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsyin which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly 1n section, illustrating a receptacle -with the cap of our invention applied thereto,lthe parts being shown in their initial relation or prior to the'sealing of the receptacle;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding view illustrating the relation of the parts after the receptacle lhas been sealed and lthe seal maintained by A pneumatic pressure; and

` disk outline, and has a depending annular flange or skirt portionwhich, when the cap is to be applied to a receptacle having straight as distinguished from offset outer side walls, is preferably composed of an upper part 4 and a lower part 5, the part 4 being offset from the part 5 and, with the outer lower edge portions of the top of the cap, forming an annular groove 6, within which is placedl a sealing ring or gasket 7 The gasket is yielding and preferably of rubberlike material in the shape of a flat vertical band. At its upper edge it is against the lower surface of the inner outer portion of the top of the cap and at its lower portion said gasket rests upon the shoulder afforded by the offset between the portions 4 and 5 of the cap.

The cap or closure 3 and-gasket 7 are,in

. Figs. 1 and 3, shown in their initial condition and as placed freely upon the tumbler or other. receptacle 1. The cap or closure Will be manufactured with regard to the diameter of the top ofthe receptacle so that when placed thereon it may, with reasonable snugness, fit over the mouth of the same.

The sealing of the receptacle is preferably effected by atmospheric pressure alone and the sealing operation results (though it may be assisted by other means, as hereinafter set forth) in the cap or closure and gasket being transformed from the condition in which they are represented in Figs. 1 and 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 2, in which it will be seen that the top of the cap or closure is dished downwardly within the upper portion of the receptacle and that the outer edge portions of the cap or closure have been drawn inwardly against the gasket and also preferably downwardly against the upper edge of the receptacle. The down- Ward dishing of the top of the cap and the drawing inwardly of the upper outer edge portions of the cap result in the `gasket being ycompressed against the side of the receptacle, Athe inner face of the gasket conforming to the side of the receptacle.

The hermetic sealing of' the receptacle) with the use of our invention maybe performed in various ways and in many wellknown forms of apparatus commonly designated as vacuum sealing machines and also as jar sealing a paratus, and in Fig. 3 we illustrate somew at diagrammatically a sufficient portion ofione forml of vacuum sealing apparatus suitable for practising our invention, although without any intention of limiting the inventionto the use of apparatus nor to the use of the ap aratus shown.

In Fig. 3, 8 designates t e outer wall or casing of a vacuum chamber, 9 the top cap of the chamber, 10 the bottom cap thereof, 11 a valved pipe leading to suitable air exhausting apparatus, not shown, 12 a v'alved pipe for admitting air at the proper time to the vacuum chamber, 13 a vertically movable perforated platen within the vacuum chamber, 14 an operating rod connected with said platen, 15 a cylinder or tube through which said rod has its movement, and 16 a.

cup-piston on said rod engaging the inner walls of said cylinder or tube 15.

In effecting the sealing, the tumbler or other receptacle 1 will have the cap or closure 3 placed thereon and introduced into the vacuum chamber, and this may be done by rst lifting the cap 9 from off the chamber. The rod 14 and platen 13 will be positioned 'above the receptacle 1 and cap or closure 3, with sufficient space between the platen and cap or closure to permit the latter to rise, during the exhausting operation, without entirely losing its connection with the receptacle. After the receptacle, cap or closure and platen have been positioned, the pipe 12 will be closed, as shown, and the pipe 11 will be opened so that the airexhausting apparatus, not shown, may become effective to exhaust the air from the vacuum chamber, including the air con-V tained within the receptacle 1 and its contents, ally this being according to well-known methods; and thereupon the platen 13 will be depressed so as to move the cap or closure downwardly and firmly upon the upper edge of the receptacle, and thereafter the valve in the pipe 11 will be turned to' cut off the air exhausting apparatus from the vacuum chamber and the valve in the pipe 12 opened to admit atmospheric air to said chamber, with the result that there being a vacuum in the receptacle 1, the air pressure will act against the cap or closure 3 to transform said cap or `closure and the gasket 7 from their condition shown in Fig. l to that illustrated in Fig. 2 and hereinbefore described.

The caps or closures hereinbefore described are made from circular disks preferably cut from sheets of the material of which the caps are to be made, and when the caps or closures ar'c to be producedA in the outlim` shown in our illustrationthat is, having an offset portion to provide a groove for the gasket or packing ring, care must b'e taken in the transformation ofthe disks into the caps so that the material may not be torir or injured by the machine or machinery employed.

In the closures herein described, there is a sealing zone effected by the gasket, although a further effective sealing is preferably caused to take place by the contact of the material of the cap itself with the upper edge or rim of the receptacle, the effectiveness of this further sealing being due to the nature and yielding character of the material of which the cap ispreferably formed, it possessing characteristics which adapt it, during the sealing operation, to closely hug the edge of the mouth of the receptacle even to the extent of yielding to the inequalities that may exist in said edge. Pyroxylin material possesses special characteristics adapting it, as we have discovered, to the hermet1c sealing ofreceptacles by air pressure. We preferably use transparent Celluloid for the caps so that the interior of the receptacle may be easily inspected through the cap, and we preferably make use of very thm sheet Celluloid in the production of the caps smce we have found that thin Celluloid sheets of from five to ten one-thousandths of an inch in thickness afford better results than could be attained by an unduly thick sheet of celluloid such as might be used for the l1d of a box.

Pyroxylin material is known by many names, but we recommend vthe use of what is commonly known as odorless Celluloid for the production of the caps, this being a pyroxylin material devoid of the commonlyknown odor f camphor which is one of the ingredients sometimes employed in the manufacture of the material.

We have hereinbefore described our invention in its applicability to cold vacuum sealing processes, but we would have it understood that our invention may also be utilized in the sealing of receptacles bythe such preponderance of pressure alone, or by mechanical means alone, or by the two together.

Also, while we have illustrated and described our invention as appled'to the sealing 4of a tumbler and have described the` dlshing of the cap asv being caused by atmospheric pressure alone, the invention is, obviously, not limited in those respects. Any kind or form of receptacle may. be used and, when the receptacle has a projecting flange or a groove near its upper edge, the skirt of the ca may be made straight instead of bemg o setas -illustrated, the gasket, in that case, be1ng held between thecap and the groove or flange in the, receptacle. Also it is` obvious that mechanical pressure may bev employed to assist the air pressure in dishingl the cap while being applied to the receptac e.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. The combination with a receptacle Within which the air pressure has been reduced, of -a hermetic closure maintained thereon by atmospheric pressure, comprising a cap seated upon the rim of the receptacle and having a downwardly extending flange or skirt the lower portion of which bears against the side of the receptacle,- and a gasket around theupper outerfside portion of the receptacle above the lower portion of the flange and extending to said rim between portion of the flange and the top of the cap being of yieldable material, said cap by reason of the atmospheric pressure thereon closely binding against said rim and binding said gasket against the receptacle at and below said rim.

2. The combination with a receptacle within which the air pressure has been reduced, of a hermetic closure maintained thereon by atmospheric pressure, comprising a cap seated upon the rim of the receptacle and having a flange or skirt, the

lsaid side portion and said flange, thefupper upper portion of the flange and the top of the cap being of yieldable material and the lower portion of the flange bearing against the side of the receptacle, and a gasket around the upper outer side portion ofthe receptacle andextending to said rim between.

` said side portion and said flange, said cap by reason of the atmospheric pressure thereon closely binding against said rim and bind- .ing saidv gasket against the receptacle at and below said rim, and said cap in the upper portionof its flange having an annular recess exterior to said rim withinwhich a portion of the gasket is held compressed.

3. The combination with a receptacle within which the air pressure has been reduced, of a hermetic closure maintained thereon by atmospheric pressure, comprising a cap having a depending annular flange extending downwardly upon the side of the receptacle, the flange and topof the cap being of yieldable material, and a gasket extending around the inner upper portion of said flange exterior to the rim of the recepguished from its initial' dianeter when placed on the receptacle, and firmly binding the gasket in a deformed conditlon against -the u per outer side edges of the receptacle.

4. `he combination with a receptacle within which the air pressure has been reduced,

of a hermetic closure maintained thereon by atmospheric pressure, comprising a cap of2 celluloid or like material having a depend- 'ingannular flange extending downwardly upon the side of the receptacle, and a gasket'extendingfaround the inner upper or'- tion of said flange exterior to the rim o the receptacle, said cap in its upper portion being in a materially contracted-state, due to the atmospheric pressure and the nature of its material, as distinguished from its initial diameter when placed on the receptacle, l and firmly binding the gasket in a deformed condition against the upper outer side edges of the receptacle. f

5. The combination with a receptacle within which the air pressure has been reduced, of a hermetic closure'maintained thereon by atmospheric pressure, comprising a cap of celluloid or like material seated on the rim of the receptacle and having a depending annular flange, contractible by depression of the topl portion of the cap, and a sealing gasket between the wall of the receptacle and the flange above the lower portion of the flange.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a re-y ceptacle within which the air pressure has been reduced, and a hermetic closure maintained thereon by atmospheric pressure comprisino: an annularly contracted cap of celluloid or like material seated on the rim of the receptaclepand having a depending annular flange, and a sealing gasket against which said cap is contracted with sealing effect by contraction of the flange below the gasket against the wall of the receptacle upon depression' ofV the top portion of the cap.

71 As a new article of manufacture, a receptacle within which the air pressure been reduced, and a hermetic Qlosure maintained thereon by 'atmosphericl pressure, said closure comprising a cap having a top portion seated on the rim of the receptacle and a depending annular flange formed of yieldable material and at its lower portion bear ing against the wall of the receptacle, and a gasket fitted between the flange and wall of the receptacle, the flange being contractible by depression .of the top of the cap to grip the gasket and wall of the receptacle with sealilg effect.

8. receptacle closure having a central portion and a depending flange, the flange and ftop of the closure being of yieldable material, said liange being adapted to embrace a gasket about and exteriory to the mouth of thereceptacle and to contract about such gasket when said central portion is subjected to atmospheric pressure due to a lowered pressure within the jar.

9. The combination of a receptacle, a gasket adapted to fit about the neck of said receptacle exterior thereto and at'the rim thereof and a closure having a centralportion and a flange, the 'central portion and flange being of yieldable material, said flange being adapted to embrace said gasket about the neck of said receptacle and to contract about said gasket to seal the receptacle when the central portion of the closure is depressed.

Signed at New York c`it in the county of New York and State of ew York, this 7th day of August, A. D. 1916.

ALFRED INGRAM. i HARRY INGRAM.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR MARION, CHAs. C. GILL. 

